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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Derbyshire County Birding (1 Viewer)

http://www.bbrc.org.uk/workinprogress.htm

The updated BBRC list makes interesting reading - the Marsh Hawk in Norfolk this winter accepted already.

Locally the Franklins and Citrine Wag from last year are accepted, but the Thayers at Poolbrook still in circulation, as is a very old Iberian Chiffchaff (1995) from Drakelow. After this length of time its got to be unlikely now?
 
Two weeks away and you get some decent county birds that stuck for a while while I'm gone - no fair. Still Corsica was consolation enough :)

Not too much birding while I was away, Spotted Flycatcher nesting in the villa (most common bird there by far), Corsican Citril Finch briefly up in the mountains was a great life tick, other than that a Serin in the garden was the only other bird worth mentioning. Some butterflies and other wildlife were nice, but the main attraction was the scenery. Wow.

Anyway, back on topic and I don't suppose the GWE or RF Falcon are still around... thought not.
 
Had 3 quail at Pikehall last night along with Yellow Wagtail that looked to have bred.

Best place to listen we found was by the metal gate where the public foot path to Biggin (I think) goes off the HPTrail.... its about two fields on from the road crossing as you head towards Minninglow. You cannot miss the crop fields on the right!
Nice to see plenty of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits etc singing too.....

ATB
steph'
 
Gomphus said:
Had 3 quail at Pikehall last night along with Yellow Wagtail that looked to have bred.

Best place to listen we found was by the metal gate where the public foot path to Biggin (I think) goes off the HPTrail.... its about two fields on from the road crossing as you head towards Minninglow. You cannot miss the crop fields on the right!
Nice to see plenty of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits etc singing too.....

ATB
steph'
Click to expand...

I went up yesterday morning & also heard at least 2, probably 3 Quail in the same area. Birdguides is reporting 5 singing there today. I had a walk along the footpath towards Biggin & it turned right & cut through the right hand crop field along a wide track. The Quail were singing deep in the crops close to the track & one did show very briefly - first one I've actually seen since I can't remember when. At the top of the hill I had a juvenile Redstart & an adult & juvenile Yellow Wagtail by the trail, plenty of Skylarks & Meadow Pipits, a singing Whitethroat & a family party of Linnets.
 
Nightjars

Hi all

Has anyone checked Cromford Moor for Nightjar; i called in during the day and it looks perfect apart from a flock of sheep type things wandering about!!
Interesting article in the latest British Wildlife mag about a reduction in Nightjar numbers on Thorne Moors following introduction of grazing animals!

Cheers
Martin
 
For anybody who does not yet know there's a Western Bonelli's Warbler at Arnfield Reservoir.

This taken from Bird News Extra: still singing early afternoon; park only at Rossington Park Industrial Estate and take path by river over bridge then right along the A628 to Cross Gates Lane. Take the path behind the fishery, through the nature reserve gate to view from the first footbridge.
 
Still showing and flycatching along the bank now.has moved out of the reserve it has been in and is now along the res bank. Now silent and with Willows and Chiffs which have caused some confusion. Very pale underneath and no doubt when seen well.Its fair to say its had a bit of a run around but many people have gone now so its calmed down again.About 30 birders on site.weather perfect.
 
From Mr Evans site..........

When Paul Greenall contacted me yesterday with a singing male WESTERN BONELLI'S WARBLER at his local patch on the Derbyshire/Greater Manchester border, my first thoughts were of some very odd Wood Warblers or hybrids I had seen in South Wales and the Midlands some years ago. Paul was very sensibly cautious but before releasing the news nationally, he waited before I could get others at the scene to help confirm the identification and weigh up the access possibilities for the site.

Paul confirmed early this morning that the bird was still present, singing continuously but showing only occasionally, flitting high up in the canopy. By mid-morning, some 20 or so observers had arrived on the scene, the call-note heard and recorded (by Tom McKinney) confirming its identification as the western form bonelli (WESTERN BONELLI'S WARBLER). Singing males on territory in Britain are exceptionally rare and this record not surprisingly constituting the first for Derbyshire.
 
A very early start this morning but well worth the effort. A mate picked me up at 04.00 and we eventually got on site at about 05.45. Despite the clear roads you don't realise how big the county is until you travel from one end to the other. Mind you, we did add on a good 20 mins or so by going the wrong way.

Only a couple of birders present at first but by around 06.30 there was about 10 of us. We stood on the path for a while but saw and heard nothing. We then decided to take a walk through both gates and across the bridge but still nothing. We then headed back to the path which a local birder had suggested as this was where it was seen more often than not.

At around 06.45 things started to pick up and a few Willows and Chiffs started working through the trees. One of a small group of birders said he had got it and after a little scanning we all picked it up. At times it came out in the open giving us ample opportunity to pick out most of the expected features. The only thing I couldn't really get was the yellowish rump. The plain face with the beady eye, the yellow fringes to some of the wing and tail feathers and the whitish underparts were quite obvious though.

As it warmed up it started singing quite regularly. It slowly worked its way down towards the bridge where we had even better views than before with it still singing too.

A great find and thanks to the local chap who left at the same time as us and showed us a few short cuts back towards Buxton.

P.S a good supporting cast of Dipper, Cuckoo and Little Owl made it a thoroughly enjoyable few hours.
 
Atlas Of Rare Birds, Dominic Couzens 2010 (Birdlife International)

Just been into Derby and popped in to the book shop called "The Works" which I understand to be fairly nationwide. Picked this book up for £3.99 - should be 25 quid!

What a bargain - it covers loads of species with good photos. If we are all honest we all have an interest in rare birds and this book is incredibly useful for that price.

It covers many different headings including back from the brink, migrants, perils of island living, lost causes?, controversies, discoveries, rediscoveries! and the pending tray.

The piece on the white eyed river martin with photos at the end is fascinaiting - I wasnt even familiar with this species and its been found and then poss extinct in just a few years.

Birdwatch have just covered the Bald Ibis, and its in here too. And dont get me started on the Ivory Billed Pecker - one of my favourite stories of all time. Spoon Billed Sand is in there, but one glaring omission apperas to be the SB Curlew - although I have only flicked through.

If you can get a copy then I strongly recommend it.
 
Daniel Martin said:
Atlas Of Rare Birds, Dominic Couzens 2010 (Birdlife International)

Just been into Derby and popped in to the book shop called "The Works" which I understand to be fairly nationwide. Picked this book up for £3.99 - should be 25 quid!

What a bargain - it covers loads of species with good photos. If we are all honest we all have an interest in rare birds and this book is incredibly useful for that price.

If you can get a copy then I strongly recommend it.
Click to expand...

Will have a look in my local "the works". Didnt see that book on my last visit, a couple of weeks back.

CB
 
Pardon me for speaking for Clive, but, yes I do believe he was speaking about the WBW. I was with him today and despite being there for 5 hours and apart from a few bursts of song I didn't get a sniff. Clive though did get fleeting views. Lucky I had stonking views on Monday! :-O

Had a drive through Longdale area on the way back and had 14+ Wheatear, 5 Redstarts and 2 Spot Flys. We also had a look/listen for Quail at Pikehall on the way back and had at least 3 birds.
 
Lucky I had stonking views on Monday! :-O

I too managed good views on Monday, got all the salient features apart from the rump, struggled to use the scope at all due to left eye not being 100% anyway and having FB removed from right eye at hospital on Sunday morning, but this typifies my luck in the recent past.

Another major plus for me was that I drove there myself with no problems whatever:t:(furthest I have driven for some 18 months). I too got 'detoured' due to poor signposting, fogotten just awkward this area is to access from the south.

A really superb record and full credit to the finder, don't think this would have been on anyones sweepstake for the countys' next new bird. ( Daniel will probably now say it was on his 'forecast' list);)
 

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